前苏联共合国乔治亚这一阵子流行用水蛭治疗疾病,以往欧洲人会用水蛭治疗痔疮,乔治亚人把这项疗法发扬光大,用来治疗其他疾病。rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de3 p n% e3 ]& |% A
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乔治亚很多诊所都提供水蛭疗法,病人得先跟诊所买一只水蛭,更年期妇女先把水蛭放在脖子上,经过一、二十分钟,水蛭吸完血,身体膨胀4倍,就可以取下,接着医师再把另外2只水蛭放在这名妇女上下牙龈上,等吸完血再取出,医师在患者伤口上贴上绷带,就算完成治疗。接受过治疗的妇女说,她们在更年期会出现的潮红和盗汗都有明显改善。 1 x2 P' m0 A5 }+ }9 t. ars238848.rs.hosteurope.de * f$ p2 Z0 H5 x# i* P2 T+ t4 X 另外,有一些高血压或是经常性头痛病人,也会用水蛭疗法降低血压,或是治疗头痛。一名医师说,不但乔治亚人用水蛭治病,乌克兰、波兰、甚至德国,也有不少人接受这种疗法。rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de( ~' ?2 P/ X b" S( S
9 G7 U0 [ n/ Y' F. j人在德国 社区 5 p7 C# D2 G+ P8 \* e; m* I人在德国 社区 * Y$ P; J+ X: A. E, V! s 3 w. r; }6 l9 ors238848.rs.hosteurope.de 5 W. x+ e7 C M4 D" h; h人在德国 社区Women turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 2011 R6 M, ?$ d/ m( S9 Rrs238848.rs.hosteurope.de( l( L# N0 \3 k5 L2 G
Leeches have been used in medicine for thousands of years. By attaching themselves to the body, and sucking blood from a patient, they were thought to bring health benefits. " ?4 c- n7 r) O9 l2 ^; R8 e. q* }5 h- F# x' x+ n& G4 M
The idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood.( U; w* h6 p0 U
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That idea fell out of fashion during the 20th century, with the discovery of modern drugs. But today, as interest in traditional medicine grows, they are making a comeback - particularly in the former Soviet State of Georgia. ( T0 v. l- j/ j- |人在德国 社区- T0 U- X) o5 W7 I1 y
Damien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.